Car-coupling



`(No Model.) Y.

- B. P. LAIRD.

,01111GOUPLING.

No. 357,011'. Patented Feb. 1, 1887.

1 1 y y y ATTORNEYS. 'l

I e, 'Y U-,\71 1- E1jt PATENT OFFICE.' i

BUsH n. LAIRD, or oonAN sPnINGsMIssIssIPPI.

-o'AR-oo'iu PLlNe.

SPECIFICATION fenning part of Letters Iatent No. 357,011, 'dared February 1,1887.

Application filed April 24, 1886.

To all whoml t 71mg concerngy .ne it known than I, BUSH n. Leirnnpof Ocean Springs, in the county of Jackson and State of Mississippi, have invented a new and useful Improvement in CarGouplings, ofwhich the following is a specification. f My invention is an improved car-coupling;

- and it consists in certain features of construe;

tion and novel combinations of parts, as will be described.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective viewof mycoupling. Fig. 2 is avertical longitudinal section of the coupling devices. Fig.

I3 is a transverse sectiondrawn-alongside of the pins-which form pivots for the coupling--` pin support. Fig. 4 vis a detail View of the pin-support, the elevator being, in place.

The draw-head A,eXcept inthe particulars hereinafter described, may be-of ordinary construction. v It has a mouth, 1, leading to its mortise 2, and isprovided with a pin-opening, 3, through its top'wall. Through its sides, in

rear of such pinopening,areformed openings 4, whichfacilitate the insertion and removal of the pin-support, presently described, and

\ threaded openings 5 lead throughthe sides of the draw-head, for the reception of pins B, the

'- inner ends or points, b, of which tit in theside grooves of the spring-actuated elevator, hereinafter described.

Within the draw-head its walls are formed `with shoulders C, which project inward, and

' are curved in arcs struck from pins B ascenters. W In-rear of such shoulders bolts D extend between the upper and lower walls of the draw-head, and such -bol'tsserve in usefas stops or Vabutments for the link entering the drawhead. Y y y The pin-support E is pivoted at e upon the bolts B, and has a portion, S, whichin the normal position of the support rests immediately under the pin-opening 3, and supports the pin in position for coupling with a link entering the draw-head.4 This support E is formed on its front face with an oval or rounded portion, b', fitted to be struck by the link, and at its sides the support has shoulders 7,which move against the shoulders C of the draw-head, such shoulders 7 and C serving as guides to E. The portion S, which forms a rest for the yas shown.

5 semaine. 200,105. (No modem i pin, is by preference formed separate from the bodyrof the support, and is given a tension Aoutward therefrom. In the construction shown the rest S has a flange or rib extendedup from its sides and rear edge, and is provided with ruit a limited movement of said rest, as will be The support has slots 12 cut from its lower edge to fit over the bolts D when the support is swungback. A sleeve or cylinder, F, is placed and movable vertically in the pin-opening 3, and the pin Gr moves through such cylinder, At its upper end the cylinderhas a cap, 12, screwed onto it, and it is provided at its lower end with an outwardly-projected annular flange, 13. This cap 12 and iange 13 bear, respectively, above and below the top Wall ofthe draw-head and hold the cylinder from being moved vso far up or-down as to effect its detachment from the draw-head.

-Thepin Gis movable verticallyin the sleeve, and has an upwardlyfacing shoulder, 14, which engages the to'p -plate of cap 12 and prevents the pin from being drawn up out of the sleeve, and enables the elevation of the sleeve by the uplifting of the pin, as will be seen. Y

The pin may have a head or ring at its up# per end, to prevent its falling through the sleeve; Vorthe pin may t at its lower end into a' socket in the base wall of the draw-head.

Manifestly, instead of enlarging the Vlower portion of the pin, as shown, it might be made In its sides the of a uniform diameter and asleeve be iiXed on it in proper position to form the shoulder, as desired. When the pin is supported on the rest and a link enters the draw-head, the support E is swung back and the pin G and cylinder F fall of gravity in front of the rest of the support E, the pin passing through the link and securing the same. The support now, by

Vits gravity, presses forward against the sleeve F, the pressure being borne by such sleeve IOC) and not affecting the free movement of the pin to uncouple when such result is desired. When the pin is withdrawn, it engages and elevates the sleeve. It will be seen, therefore, that the sleeve constitutes a guard which interposes itself between the support and the pin when the latter is lowered.

When coupled, and the cars are jammed together, the links in the draw-head will force the rear ends of the supports upward, and the elevator will press forward against the sleeve. Now, if the pin be raised, the elevator will press forward under it and hold the pin up. Then the draw-heads will be uncoupled when draft is exerted on one or the other of the cars to which they are attached.

To elevate thepin a shaft, I, havinga crank, 1', connected by chain t" with the pin, may be journaled to the car, as shown in Fig. 1. By turning this shaft the pin may be raised or it may be lowered into coupled position, as desired.

In the use of my invention it is not necessary for an operator to go between the cars to effect either a coupling or uncoupling of same.

In order to operate the shaft I from the top of the car, I secure a rod, J, in suitable guides to the side of the car, so it may be moved vertically. This rod has a hand-hold, 15, a short arm, 16, and a handle-rod, 17, arranged as shown. rlhe hand-hold is above the top of the car, and the arm 16 is arranged to engage the catch 1S on the car. A carrier, K, has a hook, k, at its upper end, and it is swiveled to the lower end of the rod J, its hook k being adapted to engage and depress the arm I of shaft I in the movements of rod J. When the rod J is raised and turned so its arm 16 will engage catch 18, as shown in Fig. 1, the rod J will have no effect ou shaft I, but the `weight of arm and the end crank opposite crank I will turn the shaft I to the position shown in Fig. 1. To uncouple, the rod J should be raised so its arm 16 can be turned clear of the catch 18 on the car,when, by turning the rod J to clear arm 16 of catch 18, the rod may be depressed to operate arm I to turn shaft, and so elevate the pin. When freed from catch 18, the weight of rod J will turn shaft I sufficiently to draw the chain tant,when a depression of rod J will uncouple.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is 1. The combination of the draw-head, a pin, a support whereby to secure such pin in elevated position, and a sleeve encircling said pin and movable, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of the draw-head, the pin-support, the sleeve encircling the pin, and the pin adapted to elevate said sleeve, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of the pin, the support E therefor, the rest s, and a spring for actuating such rest, substantially as set forth.

4. The support E, having guides for the rest, the rest s, tted to such guides, and the spring for actuating such rest, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with the draw-head and the couplingpin, of the support having a spring-actuated rest, such rest having its sides grooved, and pivot-bolts for securing such support in the draw-head, the points of said bolts being extended into the grooves of thc springactuated rest, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination of the pivoted support having a movable rest and a spring for actuating such rest, the couplingpin, and the sleeve encircling said pin, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination of the draw-head, the stop-bolts D, and the pin-support having slots 12, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination of the stop-bolts, the support having a springactuated rest, the coupling-pin, and the sleeve encircling said pin, substantially as set forth.

9. In a car-coupling, a pin-support comprising a body or main portion, a'rest having an upwardly-projected flange along its sides and across its rear edge, and a spring for actuating said rest, substantially as set forth.

10. A pin anda support adapted to turn under and secu re such pin in elevated position and back to release the same, combined with a guard arranged and adapted to interpose itself between the support and pin when the latter is lowered, substantially as set forth.

11. The combination,with the pin and a guard therefor, ofa support having a spring-actuated rest. and means, substantiall y as described, for limiting the movement of said rest, substantiall y as set forth.

12. The combination of the coupling devices, the shaft I, having arm l', the carrier, the rod J, swiveled to the carrier and having arm 16, and a catch for engagement by said arm l16, substantially as set forth.

BUSH F. LAIRD.

Witnesses:

E. Z. LAIRD, E. HART.

IOO 

